Variable water tank



Sept. 11, 1934. F. H. HEINE 7 1,973,167

VARIABLE WATER TANK Filed Feb. 1, 1928 ATTO RN EYS Patented Sept. 11, 1934 UNITED STATES VARIABLE WATER TANK Ferdinand H. Heine, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Koehring Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a col-p ration Application February 1, 1928, Serial No. 251,191

4 Claims. (01.221-95) T tank into the drum, and I*d0 not propose to depart from this idea. However, the primary object of this invention is to provide a water tank that will supply water to a mixing drum in'a constant column free from air bubbles and the like. This 1 feature is highly important inasmuch as conditions very often arise in connection with the'use of the now known type of tanks that are not altogether satisfactory. Inasmuch as the tank is availed of to supply a measured quantity of water'to the mixer, the drainage of the last bit of water from the tank is usually accompanied by hirlpools, gurgles, and the like, which seriously delay the discharge of the fluid into the mixing drum. t t

In providing a tank that will accomplish the object above set forth, it is essential that the tank be capable of supplying variable measured quantities of water to a mixing drum, and it is also desirable that such a tank be adapted for cooperation with the conventional three-way valve mechanism employed in the construction of mixing machines, such a valve being clearly shown in the patent to Lichtenberg,'1,52 5,100. Bearing the above in mind, my novel water tank comprises generally, a cup member having afunnel shaped bottom with an opening therein which functions as the inletand outflow opening or the tank. A casing is positioned around the cup member and is adjustable so that the space vabovetheopening Y 40 in the cup member may be varied as the occasion demands. Upon each cycle of operation .of the Water tank the latter will deliver that amount of waterlcontained therein above the opening in the cup member which amount will be varied by adjustment of the casing. By providing the opening in the funnel portion of the cup member with a cover spaced therefrom, formation of Whirlpools and like conditions are positively in-' hibited, and the location of the cup with respect to the discharge opening insures a steady column of 'water during the entire period of discharge from the tank. V Carrying out myinventive idea more specifi h cally, I support the casing on rack members which are adjustable through app priat eear'and worm mechanisms that may be operated to adjust the position of the tank,'and a more detailed object of theinvention is to provide means for locking the tank in any one-of its adjusted posi-j tions. 7 A-'particularly noteworthy feature that arises inconnection withthe use of my variable water tank, isthat it is not necessary to position the latter a considerable distance above the point of water entry into the mixing drum so asto create a large head. The'construction of the cup member insures the steady delivery of the water into the drum so all that is requisite in the relationship between'the water tank and the mixing drum is that the dischargeopening in this cup member be positioned above the point of entry of the water into the said drum. This feature assumes still greater importance when it is considered that in the construction of concrete mixers, it is often undesirable to place the water tanks at an extremely "high point in the construction thereof 'which high point would otherwisenot exist.

In the art of concrete mixing it is very important: that' a measured quantity of water he added to the solid aggregates, the quantity of water added of course depending upon the mix being used. It is 'highly important that the amount of water thus'added should be the same for each batch. It often happens that the mixer upon which the water tank is mounted must stand on an inclination, thereby tilting the water tank. Under such conditions, using old types of water tanks, the quantity of water supplied to the mixer for each batch may be altered and becom'e inaccurate due to tilting of the water tank. P An important object of my invention, therefore, isthe provision of novel means associated withthe water tank which will insure the delivery. of a predetermined quantity of 7 water even though the water tank isinclined tothe horizontal. Further and more detailed objects'and advantages will in part become apparent and in part be hereinafter stated as the description of the invention proceeds. For a full and more'completefunderstandmg thereof, reference may be'had to the iollowing description and accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a view showing my water tank applied to a paving machine, the paving machine being shown diagrammatically.

Figure 2 is a' view showing the relationship of the water tankto the mixing drum, parts being C to pass into the mixingdrum A,

herein set forth, it is tobe understood that I am not to be limited to the exact constructions being illustrated and described because various modifications of these details may be providedin putting the invention into practise within the purview of the appended claims.

A paving machine is shown diagrammatically in Figure 1 and includes a mixing drum A mounted in the conventional frame work offthemachine and has an opening B by which the drum is loaded. One end of a pipe line 1 pro: jects into the opening B which line carries water from mynovel variable water tank designated generally by thev reference character .0 to a mixing drum. A three-wayvalve D is included in the line 1 intermediate the tank 0 and opening-B. A main water supplyilino 2 is also connected with the three-way valve D- and sup plies water to the tank C. The particular constructionand operation of the-three-way valve D is clearly set fortirin the patent previously referred to, andit suffices to say that this valve may be operated either to permit water to flow from the supply line 2 into the tank C or may be further operated to permit water from the tank Upstanding'from the valveD is a length of pipe 3 the end ofwhich terminates in a cup memher 4 having-the. funnel shaped portion 5. Inthe interior of the cupAa cover dis, provided above the opening in the funnel portion 5 and the said cover is spaced above the opening by any preferred supporting means such as the members 7.

Appropriately mounted on the frame work of the machine are slide ways 8 having grooves 9 therein in which racks 10 are adapted, to. move in either direction. Projecting horizontally from the slide ways 8 arev supporting cars ll which have pivotally mounted in their free ends a shaft 12 which may be operably rotated by any suitable operating means such as a, hand wheel 13. The

hand wheel 13. may be provided with openings 14,: which are adapted to receiveone endof a locking bail, the other end of which is insertable in an opening 15 in one. of the cars 11. The shaft 12 has adjacent to eachend worms 16 whichare in operative engagement with complementol. ,Worm gears 17 mounted on shafts 18 which carry pintions 19 in engagement with the-M9115 10,; By reference to Figure 3 it is apparent hat the. and wheel 13 may be operatedto cause vertical movement of the. racks l0- and the same wheel may be locked in any position desired to hold the racks in position.

-At theirjuppeh ends the racks l0 carry there betweena casing 20 whichhas an opening 21 in the lower end thereof throu h which the pipe 3 passes. The relationship between thepipe 3 and casing 20 is suoh that relativemotion between th se parts is pr v ded f As the casing 20 is to contain the fluid, ,sealingmeans between these parts may be provided as; shown at .22. Inasmuch as the casing 20 is carried by the'racks 10, the position thereof with respect to the cup member emery be. varied by suitable operation; 035 the hand wheel 13 A mcensgior. sirainins allthc fluidirom such constructions.

the casing 20, should the occasion arise for such the tank above the opening in the funnel portion 5 will, pass therefrom, in a constant even stream of water to the. mixing drum A. Obviously the position of the casing 20 with respect to the cup member 4 determines "the amount of water deliveredwith-each cycl'eoi operation of the tank.

The. casing 20 may be provided with suitable indicia to indicate the amount of water to be deliveredby the tank, as shown at 24., The funnel portiona together-with cover 6, insures the cone stant flow of water by obviating any Whirlpools 01. gurgling conditions.- I p As has been hereinbefore pointed out; oneof the objects of the instant invention is the provision of a water tank which will deliver substan v tially equal quantities of water for a given setting of the tank even though the tank be inclined, with respect to the horizontal. A brief explanation of how my novel tank brings about this condition will now be given. 7 V v In the case of the common water tank wherein the discharge pipe 3 is usedwithout the supplementary parts v4:, 5 and 6, if the tank is tilted the Water seeks the level at the lowest part or edge of the discharge pipe. It can readily be under; stoodthat the quantity of water thus delivered from the inclined tank will be greater than the quantity which would be delivered if the tank werestandlngupon level ground. In the present inventionthe discharge pipe 3 has been equipped with a cup shapedmember iv having substantially the same diameter as the tank 20. If the tank is now tilted, the wate -wi e k the l vel, o the low st point-of the'upp g of h cup mem her 4; Since the cup memb r has nea ly th sam diamete as? the ank mo -11y a ma l acme lar ringof water between the cup member 4i and the tank 2.0wil1'be discharg in addition to the p edetermined quanti y. By mak t e up m mber 4 subs n a y t same i as th tan 2,0,- the additional quantity of water thus dis; charged will be negligibleand the tank will deliver equa quan iti s of w ter whet er h ame is in a h rizon alor'in line osi i n or a c ca purposes; ,i r.

' Having, thus described my invention, what ,I claimas new. and desire t s cure b L tt rs Pat: ent inithe nited Stat s 5.1

, i 185 1. Watertank construction of the ass-d f scribed; 1 comprising, i ombinatio pen t p d up m mber havin a fu n o t o ith a discharge o n g in its bottoma c e for a d discharge opening spa ed sli h ly h ef om, and a casi g sur ound ge up em r nd 've'rti: eally adjustable with respect. thereto, there being any a slight space between the outer wall of the up m ber d t nner wa l f t asin ,2. Nariable'vvater tank construction of the class described, comprising, combination, a casing having an opening in one end thereof, a'tube' pass. ingthrough the opening and having an opening interiorlyof thecasing and terrninating-in acup mem er having funnel portion; id tube af rd:

ing the sole water inlet and outlet for the casing the annular wall of the cup member being closely adjacent the inner wall. of the casing, means for adjusting the casing with respect to the cup member and tube, and means for determining the direction of the flow of water through the said tube.

3. In a liquid measuring device, a substantially vertical closed tank having an air vent at its top, a pipe slidably projected into the interior of the tank through an opening in its bottom, said pipe affording a common inlet and outlet for the tank, a funnel shaped enlargement at the upper end of the pipe within the tank, an annular flange extending upwardly from the peripheral edge of the funnel shaped enlargement and lying closely adjacent to the inner wall of the tank, and means to adjust the position of the tank with respect tothe pipe and its associated elements to measure the quantity of liquid to be discharged, the possible error from the desired quantity being that amount contained in the space between the annular flange and the inner wall of the tank and lying between the plane of the upper edge of the annular flange and a horizontal plane common to the lowermost portion of the annular flange upper edge whereby the possible error is maintained at a negligible minimum.

4. A water tank construction of the class described, comprising, in combination, a casing, a cup member within the casing and having a funnel portion with a discharge opening therein for the discharge of a measured quantity of liquid therefrom a covering for the opening spaced slightly therefrom for preventing the formation of a vortex, the funnel portion of the cup forming the bottom of the liquid chamber within the top of the casing, the outer end of the casing being closed to prevent the escape of liquid therethrough, whereby a constant and even flow of liquid is maintained.

FERDINAND Hi HEINE. 

